The stakes rise again! This time Qualcomm and constellation operator Iridium unveiled Snapdragon Satellite, a new feature that will be available for the first devices in the second half of 2023. The expected features go so far as to go beyond emergency messaging.
Although, as with Apple, you will need some time and clear skies.
Come. Look for me.
This is a function that has been talked about a lot since its launch in 2022: the possibility, off the network and in isolated places, to send an emergency message by satellite using your iPhone. In this context, yesterday’s announcement of the new service resulting from Qualcomm’s partnership with Iridium looks like a reaction. And yet, it is the culmination of three years of work and silent cooperation between the chip manufacturer and the satellite operator!
By the second half of 2023, smartphones equipped with a Snapdragon Satellite chip and an integrated X70 modem will be able to connect to the Iridium constellation with an application resembling that of Apple. You will have to orient your phone so that it detects the nearest satellite, then wait a few seconds for the message (limited to 160 characters) to be transferred.
Helping space (but not only)
All the details have not yet been revealed, but it seems certain that the service will be free for emergency messaging to the emergency services. The upside, however, is that the Iridium constellation is much more capable when it comes to speeds and transfers than Globalstar (which Apple uses). Outside the mobile network, it would therefore be entirely possible to use Iridium’s existing infrastructure for calls (audio), limited connectivity (emails) or more traditional messaging.
We can expect such an option to be put in place, but it will depend on the agreements with the telephone operator and the tariffs negotiated with Iridium, which will benefit thanks to this collaboration from a huge new potential market. Customers equipped with Android, for their part, will have access to a more open technology than for Apple.
The use of these satellite constellations, sometimes criticized in recent years as being surpassed by the new capabilities of superconstellation operators such as OneWeb or Starlink, is a real revenge. Above all, it is one more innovation for users. It is currently only available on premium products (and for Qualcomm, it will still take 6 months), but which will undoubtedly become more democratic. Less than 24 hours after the announcement, Garmin would also have positioned itself as a potential customer for this Snapdragon Satellite chip.
Source : Engadget
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